Gould commented that these stonechats were mainly found in central and northern India on bushes among the arid plains, and also on hedges or low trees bordering the roads near villages. They descend to the ground to feed on insects and then return to their perch. Gould noted that records of these birds had been made by Dr. T.C. Jerdon at Mhow, central India, by Edward Blyth at Agra, and by Captain W. Boys in northern India. (A manuscript formerly owned by Gould, named 'Boy's Birds', containing descriptions of about 500 Indian birds, is now in the Blacker-Wood Library, McGill University, Montreal).
The male with black plumage and the brown female are depicted lifesize. W. Jardine, Contributions to Ornithology, 1849, p.60, fig.10
E. Blyth, Journal of the Asiatic Society, Calcutta, XVI, p.137
T.C. Jerdon, Birds of India, 1862-64, II, part 1, p.130
DISTRIBUTION: South-central Eurasia: northeastern and southeastern Iran and Transcaspia east to Tadzhistan, east to Afghanistan and western and northern Pakistan. Winters south to southern Iran, eastern Arabia and central India.
In Gould's time this bird was considered to be a separate species but it is now thought to be merely a distinct and genetically determined colour variant (a morph) of the Eastern Pied Wheatear